For 30 years, Finance Fund has connected local for-profit business owners and nonprofit organizations with public and private funding to help spark community development and create jobs in distressed communities statewide. Find out more about Finance Fund's work, projects and partners and how we can help you achieve your goals and benefit your community.

Finance Fund provides funding for projects that fulfill community needs, create jobs and improve the quality of life in economically distressed communities. We connect small business owners, developers and community development organizations with public and private sources of funding. Our funding programs include urban and rural lending, grants and gap financing.

Our work is guided by community-based organizations and leaders who know best what is needed in their own backyards.

Since 1987, Finance Fund has directly benefited the lives of Ohioans by funding small business expansion and job creation. Our focus areas include healthy food projects, education and training, community facilities and health care.

Finance Fund works with state and federal policy makers on issues that impact economic development in Ohio. Whether it's to educate about an issue or provide information, our ultimate aim is to help leaders better serve their citizens through new and continuing support for programs that improve the quality of life for many people.

Finance Fund brings resources and projects together to improve the economic vitality of distressed communities. Learn more about our work, how to apply for our programs and how to involve our experts in your educational seminars or news stories.

Unique Partnership Launches Local Food Action Plan

written on November 23rd, 2016 | by Valerie Heiby

Director of DevelopmentValerie Heiby

Everyone should have access to nutritious and affordable food. Finance Fund, along with many others in the local community, are working hard to make that happen. It has been my great privilege to represent Finance Fund on a terrific Working Committee to develop the Columbus and Franklin County Local Food Action Plan which launched this week.

From the Plan’s Executive Summary, here’s a snapshot of some of Franklin County’s food-related issues:

1 in 5 children in Columbus are food insecure and are more likely to experience chronic disease. (2014 Franklin County Children’s Report; Community Research Partners)

In the 2014/15 school year, 30% of pre-K and 28% of kindergarten students in Columbus City Schools had a Body Mass Index at or above the 85th percentile, putting them at increased risk for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and other weight related issues. (Columbus City Schools Wellness Initiative)

Less than 25% of adults in Franklin County report consuming fruit and vegetables the recommended five or more times a day. (Franklin County Health Map 13)

About 13% of the material entering the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill each year is food waste. (2013 Waste Characterization Study of the Municipal Solid Waste Entering the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill)

In 2010, The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) described 275,641 Franklin County residents (24%) as having low access to grocery stores with 72,902 of those also identified as low income. (Food Access Research Atlas; United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service)

Work on the plan began in November 2014 when Columbus City Council and the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, led by councilmember Priscilla Tyson and Commissioner John O’Grady, joined up with not-for-profit Local Matters. This unique partnership conducted community-level food planning meetings, stakeholder interviews, surveys and public feedback sessions. More than 1,000 residents and stakeholders provided valuable insights that led to the development of the Local Food Action Plan.

The plan is built around four major goals:
1. Enhance coordination and communication among existing food resources and agencies.
2. Improve access to and education about healthy affordable food and local food.
3. Increase the role of food in economic development.
4. Prevent food-related waste.

It is intended to create a strong and resilient local food system, inform public policy, inspire program development, foster community collaborations, guide local funding strategies, and establish the foundation for successful philanthropic and public grant applications.

You can view the full plan and learn more about the development process here. For information about Finance Fund Capital Corporation’s Healthy Food for Ohio flexible funding program for healthy food retailers please visit our website.